A Summer exchange

Another couple of months have passed by with no blogging but the garden is still keeping me busy as is my DH who is thoroughly enjoying his retirement. He's never had much time to get out in the garden other than weekends but he is out there from morning 'til night either digging or building rose arches or playing around with the fish pond but it's good to see him keeping occupied.

I've still not done a lot of stitching as I keep having migraines, the optician says it could be stress related or my blood pressure might need checking or it could be bright lights or being on the computer a tad too long. I'm trying to not stress over things, a bit impossible when you're one of the world's biggest worriers, and I've been keepng off the computer which has been easy as I've spent so much time outdoors I've not missed it.

I did stitch my gift for the Gift of Friendship exchange which I do every year. This year I sent to Deb.

And this is what I received from Gail, isn't it lovely. The picture on it is from when we used to do a thread exchange many years ago so it's a lovely reminder of all the friends I made along the way.

I feel truly blessed with all the goodies that she sent it was like Christmas opening all of the little parcels that were in the box.

Troy hasn't been well again so another trip to the vets so along with his heart and kidney problems he now has an overactive thyroid, it's costing us a fortune at the vet's but while there's hope we'll keep trying.

A few pictures of the pond and the garden. Tony had six new fish bought for his birthday at the beginning of June and so far four of them have died. The aquatics shop they came from said it was probably stress that killed them but we asked advice from someone else and they seem to think the fish might have a parasite that is killing them so at the moment the water is a lovely shade of blue with the chemicals that have gone in. It makes the fish look very pretty.

The photo of the veg garden was taken a few weeks ago, it now looks like a jungle with everything growing.

                                          

 

The pergola is a work in progress and it's keeping DH busy.

Well that's about it for now, I have stitching on the go and knitting too, the skirt I was about to sew is still waiting to be done but there's no hurry all I seem to wear these days are gardening clothes.

Take care all, Sue x

Good intentions

It's been a few weeks since I blogged mainly due to the fact that there's not been a lot of stitching going on but there has been a lot of gardening. That is to say that we've gardened when the weather has been kind to us which for the past few weeks hasn't been all that often.

It is looking good, nice and tidy but the plants that we've grown are at least a month behind from last year but hopefully they'll catch up.

Stitching has been going on in the evenings but lately all I've wanted to do is sit and nod, it must be all the extra exercise that I've been getting in the garden.

A few finishes, some that have been lying in the cupboard for a while.

 

 

 

 

and just a little more stitching,

and lots of baking to keep energy levels topped up.

I was going to put some pictures of the garden up but blogger doesn't want to let me do anything. It's taken ages to get these photos up so I'll quit while I'm ahead and try again later.

Sue xx

The sun is shining......

....and I am feeling that I'm ready to come out of hibernation and get going again.

I seem to have had a busy month though not a lot to show again. I've been finishing off a few things that have been hiding in the cupboard.

Lizzie Kate Joyeux Noel.

Country Cottage Needleworks Gingerbread village house #2

 Lizzie Kate Hark.

On the knitting front this is the jumper that I finished for DH just before Christmas, it had been hanging around for a long time so I thought I'd better get on with it.

Still in a knitting mood I started a cardigan for me last month, a bit easier pattern so quite quick to knit up, I've a feeling that it may be a bit on the long side but it will keep me warm when I need it.  

DD started this exit puzzle but after moving back home she found that it was all broken up in the board holder so she said I could do it as long as I didn't tell her the escape route. I don't think there's much chance of that as even with the clues me and DH are struggling to work out the escape route without opening the envelope with the solution in

Still not much flowering in the garden, mainly due to a makeover in the borders which will keep us busy this summer, so I bought a few daffodils to cheer myself up.

I put a few more stitches into Spring Planting and I've been stitching on something for an exchange but the garden is taking up most of my time at the moment and it's been lovely to be able to get outside without freezing though we're still getting early morning frosts.

I'm still having problems not being able to comment on blogs, I've tried different servers but I just get a blocked delivery email back so until I can sort it I'll just keep on reading but won't be able to say how much I've enjoyed what you've all done.

That's about it for now,

love and hugs,

Sue x

It must be cold

Although these two are father and son, Gizmo and Troy don't actually get on together, they tolerate one another and that's about it. For the past two nights I've found them snuggled up together in an armchair that one of them sleeps on during the day so either they are mellowing or they must be feeling the cold. They are both over 15 so perhaps it's old age.

Not a lot has been happening again. I went and had my vaccination for the corona virus and other than an aching arm and feeling more tired than usual it was fine.

I have done a little stitching but I've been knitting more just lately, it seems to occupy my mind more and keep niggling thoughts at bay.

This is the start I made on a Dimensions chart called Spring Planting, lovely colourful flowers in a basket.

 I don't think I've taken any photos of my knitting but I will do for next time.

I've just finished reading this book by Amanda Prowse and although I've read more by her this one didn't cheer me up at all. It was a good story just seemed a little sad. I think I need to find some new authors to lighten things up a bit.

Nothing seems to be stirring in the garden other than the daffodils and tulips shooting through so I'll leave you with a photo of my orchid that keeps on giving.

Love and hugs, 

Sue xx

Trying to blog again

It's been that long since I've blogged regularly that everything has changed on here and I've been trying to sort out where things are and what to write about. I've been trying to sort through some of last years photos so that I can show what we did to the house and garden but there aren't many of those either.

I did a couple of exchanges,

this was the Summer one from RoseMary which took three months to get to me.

                                   

While I was waiting for it she sent me another gift, to replace the lost one.

I was going to put a photo of what I sent to my partner but it seems to have disappeared. 

This is the Christmas exchange that I sent to RoseMary.

and this is what I received from Marina.

I'm having a few problems sorting out things on the blog and I've tried to comment on other people's blogs but the messages keep bouncing back. I'll have to investigate further tomorrow when it's not so late.

Nothing much happening in the garden, the tulips and daffodils are coming through so I'm looking forward to a nice show in Spring but at the moment the only thing that seems to be growing is this lovely hellebore that we bought last year.

Off to bed for now, will sort blogger out another day.

Love Sue xx

 

Happy New Year

I know it's a day late but I just wanted to wish everyone a Happy New Year. I didn't realise that it was almost 12 months since I'd been on my blog but so much has happened in the past twelve months that I'd not even thought about it. 

DH retired last year, the firm he worked for were making redundancies and so with the virus hanging around we thought the time was right even though he'd still got another year before he retires officially. We spent most of the year either gardening or decorating. We had the last of the new windows put in and got things done to the house so it's easier to maintain while we can. 

We'd looked forward to him retiring, planned to do this that and the other, to go to different places but it's not to be......for now, but we live in hope that things will get better.

I didn't do a lot of crafting during the year but I'm hoping that will change. It was my birthday yesterday and I had more lovely goodies to add to my ever bulging cupboards so some of it needs to be used.

Have a safe and happy year, take care,

Sue xx

another soggy week and an exchange

It never seems to stop raining at the moment, I so want to get out in the garden but it is too soggy to do anything. I popped down to the bottom of the garden the other day and found that my pots of tulips and daffodils are bursting through the soil already, it will soon be time to move them into the main borders and hopefully there will be some colourful flowers to see us through Spring. 

There hasn't been a lot of stitching going on but I have kitted up another cross stitch to keep me going.

Back in December I did an exchange with the ladies from the Gift of Friendship, so many goodies came out of the bag, it was a lovely exchange from Nancy.

and this is what I sent to Gail, another from Lizzie Kates Flora McSample Treats booklet.

Christmas was spent getting over some nasty bugs that really knocked me for six but the New Year brought a lovely birthday on January 1st, I had some lovely presents from my three daughters and a much appreciated 70th birthday meal cooked by my wonderful hubby. 

My youngest daughter Rachel also cross stitches and she stitched this for my birthday.

Abide with me by Stoney Creek, she stitched Amazing Grace for her Dad a few years ago. Every time I look at it I keep thinking that I must try harder this year with my stitching, there's so much I want to stitch, just lacking a bit of motivation at the moment but I will try my best to get it back.

I've been doing quite a bit of reading too, I bought a few books from our local pet shop which they were selling for donations. This one I've almost finished and it's been an enjoyable read.

I seem to have collected a few books just lately, I don't know what I'd do without a good read.

Until next time, love and hugs

Getting there, slowly.

The last time I sat down and tried to write on my blog was August but as you can guess it never appeared. I was feeling so down at the time that I think everyone would have thought that I was such a misery. Summer had been fine, the garden took a lot of my time and going in to August we renovated the kitchen and turned our old conservatory into a study. Then everything went downhill,  all I wanted to do was sleep, which I did in copious amounts. Life seemed to go on hold for a while but gradually things are getting better and I'm beginning to look forward instead of back and anyway who can be miserable at Christmas time when I've got visits from family and grandchildren to look forward to. I'm still not 100% right but I'm getting there. 

Gradually the sleeping went on to reading and little by little I started stitching again, nothing big but just enough to keep my mind from wandering. Below are a few of the stitches that I finished off, a couple are waiting to have embellishments put on them before I finish them off completely. I did do another one but that was sent as an exchange piece which was done in July but it's not opening day until next week so I'll post about that another time.

The little pansy cross stitch was finished, don't they have such sad faces.

Hands on Designs.... Grown with love.

Two of the stitches from Lizzie Kates Flora McSample Treats.

and a little bit more on Fragile Dreams.

The cactus has brightened the kitchen up on the dreariest days, I think it's an Autumn cactus rather than a Christmas one. The garden is too wet to do anything with, we've had so much rain but the leaves are making it slippy so I'll have to get out there soon and rake them all up. Well that's about it for now, I hope next time I post things will be a lot cheerier.

love and hugs,

                                                                      

July update

After a few lovely sunny days it is now pouring down with rain again and we were hoping to go to one of the villages that host an open garden scheme. This is the third one this year that I've had to miss for one reason or another but I'm sure that I'll find something to fill the day.

Not a lot been happening again, this bout of depression and panic attacks seem to be lingering but as long as I can get out in the garden and do some stitching then life's not all bad.

I did have some nice post to open in the week. I've been in a little group for years and we send gifts just twice a year so we have plenty of time to stitch or craft whatever we want. This Summer's gift was from Gail.

I love reading so the bookmark will come in very handy, the fabric is such a pretty colour and I'm sure I'll enjoy stitching the Mill Hill kit though it's on paper, something I've not tried before. The sweets are made from maple sugar but I've not tried them yet.

These are the gifts and stitching that I sent to Donna, I hope she liked them.

And this is the stitching on it's own, it was a freebie from here. I did it one over one so it worked out quite small. The photos are a bit dark, it was dull when I took them.

This was my new start from a couple of weeks ago, I have done a bit more on it but not taken any photos yet. 

I have a Summer dress cut out ready to sew so hopefully the weather will brighten up again so I can wear it.

The garden is looking lovely with all the rain that we've had but too wet at the moment to go and take any pictures so that's about it for now,

love and hugs,

Sue x